i love salty caramel with either chocolate or something a little nutty. off the top of my head, if i were making cake, i would go classic chocolate; if i were making cookies, i would go hazelnut or pecan shortbread.

I'd second the chocolate suggestion. It may not be novel, but I can't think of a more perfect combination than chocolate and salted caramel. So my next question would be, what kind of chocolate cake/recipe do I want to make.

I go with the brownie selection -- especially with a little dribble of spicy caramel sauce over the ice cream and brownie. I do this often for quick desserts; it looks nice, tastes great and everyone loves it. A little fancier and really just as easy are individual chocolate lava cakes. You can prepare them in advance and throw them in the oven while you're clearing dinner plates. Again, an artful swish of caramel sauce and you look pretty good.

Chocolate goes with almost everything, doesn't it? But I think I'd make Amanda's Peach Tart. I think that would be divine with Salted Caramel Ice Cream. And we won't have peaches around too much longer. Chocolate knows no season.

The Mexican restaurant, Oyamel in DC serves homemake caramel ice cream with the dessert Pastel de Tres Leches con Pina. It's rum soaked cake, pineapple and the ice cream. It is my current favorite dessert and a change from chocolate.